One Sweet Love
by Rekindled Moroseness
Summary: So, tell me the story between you, Dad, and my biological father?" Mikan asks. "That's a long story," I say. "I'm a good listener," she says. "No, you're not." I laugh. Yuka telling Mikan the story of how she met Shiki. AU. YxS


**Disclaimer: **Doesn't own GA, sadly.

**One Sweet Love**

"Mom?" Mikan, my daughter, calls out to me. She is looking at me with curiosity in her eyes, her gaze transfixed on the worn-out photo album on my lap. "What's that?"

I motion for her to come closer to me and she sits down beside me. "This is a photo album," I say seriously.

She giggles. "Mom!"

I laugh along with her. It feels good to have my daughter by my side after all these years. I can't believe how fast time passes, it feels like it was only yesterday that she attended kindergarten . . . and now she's about to get married.

"Is that you?" she asks, pointing at the girl with long brown hair in the photo.

"Yes, that's me," I reply.

"Wow, Mom, I can be your twin!" She giggles. Her gaze softens when she sees the man standing next beside the young me with his arms wrapped around my waist. "Is that . . . ?"

I smile. "Yes, that's your biological father."

She looks intently at the photo and traces the photo with her fingers, as if she is caressing her deceased father. "You know, Mom, you never told me the story between you, Dad, and my biological father," she says matter-of-factly.

"And what makes you want to hear it now?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

She laughs. "I don't know, I just feel like I should know. I'm getting married, Mom. You know my story, how come I don't know the story between you and Dad?"

"It's a very long story," I say. I have always wanted to tell her the story between Shiki and I, but I never got the chance to. I want her to know that even though I'm with Shiki, I still love her biological father very much.

"I'm a good listener," she quips.

I laugh. "No, you're not."

She pouts. "Come on, Mom!"

-o-o-o-

I was ecstatic when I received the letter from Izumi, telling me that he was coming home. It had been four months since he was gone and I couldn't wait to see him. He had finally fulfilled his duty to the country. He promised me that once he had fulfilled his duty, he would search for another job and settle down with me.

I rubbed my swollen belly lovingly, wondering how Izumi would react to this piece of news. Izumi and I were married nine months ago even though I was only twenty going twenty one. My family vehemently objected my decision to marry him, of course, but I couldn't care less about them. They couldn't understand my reason for marrying him and I doubted that they would ever understand. Besides, they didn't really care about me. They never cared about me.

Today, Izumi would finally come back home. With a wide grin on my face, I waited impatiently in the train station for the train to arrive. There were many people around me too: women waiting for their husbands or older couples waiting for their sons. They were all expecting their loved ones, anxious to see how they were.

After a few more minutes, the train finally arrived. My stomach felt queasy with anticipation, I still couldn't believe that I would see Izumi soon. People came pouring out of the train, greeted by their families. I smiled at the sight before me, it was heartwarming to see the reunion between people.

The crowd coming out of the train got thinner, but I still couldn't see Izumi. I began to panic; hence I took out the letter from Izumi. It clearly said that he would arrive today . . . Maybe he was being halted in the train for something? I took a deep breath, hoping it could calm my nerves. People were leaving the train station, but there were several others like me too, waiting for someone to suddenly hop off the train.

Nobody came out of the train anymore. I kept staring at the train entrance, hoping that someone would suddenly come out of the train . . . Someone did come out of the train, but it was the conductor, telling the remaining people that there was nobody else left inside the train.

I suddenly felt dizzy; where could Izumi be? I sat down on the bench and reread the letter once again. It was indeed Izumi's handwriting, so why was he not here? Was he . . . No! I shouldn't think of that. Izumi was fine, maybe he just . . . he just . . .

I couldn't stop the tears streaming from my eyes. I had waited very patiently for this day to come and now I was let down. Add up the fact that I was a pregnant woman and you got an emotionally imbalanced woman.

He didn't show up in the train station that day, but I didn't give up.

The second day, I came back to the train station at the same time and waited. He wasn't there too, but I waited patiently. Izumi promised, he told me he would come back for me. With that determination in mind, I came to the train station every single day for a whole week. Every time I didn't see Izumi, I would sit on that bench and cry.

On the seventh day, I met _him. _I was crying again when Izumi didn't come. _He_ sat down right beside me and offered me his handkerchief without saying anything. I was never one to conserve with strangers, but at that time, I didn't hesitate to accept his handkerchief. He didn't ask a question, he simply listened to me crying for who knows how long.

"I'm sorry . . . Your handkerchief . . ." I said when I finally stopped crying. I finally had a good look of the guy. He had platinum blonde hair and a very beautiful pair of ocean blue eyes. His eyes seemed to reflect my emotions, he too was sad like me.

"It's alright," he simply replied. He didn't tell me his name and he didn't even inquire if I was alright. We just sat there in silence, both seemed to be grieving for something. I didn't know why he was sad, was he waiting for someone too? I didn't dare ask him for he had been so kind to me by not asking anything, but I was curious. I decided to shut up though, because I really needed a friend to talk to and surprisingly, I felt comfortable with this complete stranger sitting right beside me.

"I have to go . . . Uh, I'll wash this and, umm, how shall I return this to you?" I asked.

He simply shook his head. "Keep it, I'm sure you need it more than me."

-o-o-o-

"What are you two doing and what's with that stupid expression on your face, Polka?" Natsume, my soon-to-be son-in-law, asks when he enters the living room.

Mikan pouts. "Natsume! This is a storytelling time between mother and daughter! Go away!"

He snickers. "Sure, I'll have a nice storytelling time with your father too then."

"Shut up and sit down if you want to listen to the story, Natsume. God, you're so annoying," she says. She smiles at him, even though she is obviously mad at him. It is always fun to see the banters between them and it's evident that they really love each other. I'm glad Mikan managed to find him, he really is "the one" for her.

"Where was I? Hmm . . ."

"The handkerchief part! So, did you two bond over the handkerchief?" Mikan asks excitedly. I chuckle.

"Well . . ."

-o-o-o-

Since that day, I often saw him in that train station as well. We would sit there on that same bench, but we wouldn't talk to each other. I was still waiting for Izumi to come back, or even just a letter, but nothing came. I tried not to think about it too much, so I began talking to the stranger.

Two days after I met him, I found out that his name was Shiki Masachika.

Day three, he told me that he was a doctor.

Day four, he didn't come.

Day five, he asked me how far along I was.

Day six, he didn't say anything to me.

Day seven, he finally asked me who I was waiting for.

"My husband," I answered. He nodded emphatically and resumed to look at the empty train. "What about you?" I asked, hoping he wasn't offended with my question.

"My brother," he simply said before leaving the train station.

He didn't come back for days that I feared I might have invaded his privacy by asking the question. Surprisingly, I found myself missing the guy. He was a great friend, he was exactly what I needed at a time like this.

I still went to the train station every day, hoping that Izumi would miraculously emerge from the train. There was this nagging voice in my head telling me to stop waiting, that I should just give up, but I couldn't. I loved him and I would never give up on him. If the situation was reversed, I knew that he wouldn't give up on me as well.

Three weeks after my last meeting with Shiki, he came back to the train station. He was sitting on _our_ bench, holding a crumpled envelope. His expression was gloom and he looked dead. The envelope had the seal of the army, and somehow, I knew that the content wouldn't be good.

I sat down next to him as usual and contemplated: should I talk to him? I didn't need to think for long though, he made the decision by speaking to me.

"Sometimes, I wish I could escape from reality," he whispered, his voice strained. "I knew he was . . . dead. I didn't want to believe it. I came here every day, hoping he would just step out of the train. I . . . Now this letter . . ." A drop of tear escaped his eyes.

"Do you . . . Do you want me to open it for you?" I asked gently.

He shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "I know what it'll say," he said weakly. "It didn't seem real before, but this letter makes everything real."

I felt like I was suffocated when I heard his words. In the back of my mind, I knew that Izumi would have tried to contact me if he couldn't come home. I knew him not coming home could only mean one thing. I knew . . . but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I didn't even want to think about it.

I sat there the whole day with Shiki. We didn't talk to each other as usual, but we took comfort in knowing that there was somebody beside us. I was lost in my thoughts, afraid that I might get that letter soon. Would I be able to open the letter when it came? Would I have the strength? I wasn't strong, even though Izumi had told me numerous times that I was strong.

-o-o-o-

"What's that smell?" I ask worriedly. There is a faint burning scent in the air, and knowing my daughter's knack to be very forgetful . . .

"OH NO! THE FOOD!" Mikan shrieks as she runs toward the kitchen. Natsume just sighs since it seems to be a normal occurrence in their life. I chuckle, remembering the time when Mikan almost burnt down the whole house just to make a birthday cake for her best friend, Hotaru.

"You have to be extra patient with her," I comment.

Natsume shrugs. "I just hope she won't burn the house down," he says, a tint of annoyance evident in his voice. Despite how much he says that Mikan annoys him, I know he loves her very much and will take great care of her. Mikan has made the right choice to marry Natsume, just like I had made the right choice by marrying Shiki.

"Invest in insurance and fire alarm, Natsume." I laugh.

He mutters something intangible, I think it sounds like "will remember that". "What happened then?" he asks.

I laugh. "You're interested in the story too, huh?"

-o-o-o-

The next day, he came to the train station and sat on his usual spot. I wanted to ask him what he was doing there, was he still hoping that the announcement was wrong and that his brother was still alive? I didn't dare ask, but he surprised me by asking questions every now and then. It was weird because he was usually very quiet. Nevertheless, I answered every question he asked me and I got answers to my questions in return too.

I found out that his brother was twenty one years old, the same age as me. Shiki was twenty five and he lived alone not far from my house. He didn't have a wife or a girlfriend and was currently devoting his time to his career. He didn't fight in the war because of his family's influence so he could opt out of the duty, but his brother insisted on serving the country. He regretted the fact that he didn't enlist to the army. That way, it might have been him who died, not his brother.

His confession stung, but I dared not say it to him. He became a very good friend to me. He was attentive, and even though he rarely spoke, he could crack a few weird jokes. He was rather awkward in socializing, but people seemed to look up to him. He had this charisma as a leader which made people admire him.

Two weeks after, a letter with the army sign arrived to my house. I broke down on the spot, I didn't have the strength to open the letter. At that moment, I really understood how Shiki felt. I knew Izumi was dead from the day he didn't appear in the station, but to _really_ know the fact was a very different thing. It was better to think that he was missing and that he would be back someday . . . But this . . . He was dead, he was _really_ dead and he would never come back.

I cried for my loss, I cried for my unborn child, I cried for Shiki who lost his brother, I cried for everything. My child would never know her father and I would have to raise her by myself. How . . . How was I supposed to cope with this reality?

My body felt like it was on autopilot, I walked to the train station even though it had been almost four hours later than the time I usually met Shiki. But he was there waiting for me with a concerned look on his face. I broke into sobs again when I saw him and he immediately gathered me into his arms. I showed him the letter and he nodded in understanding.

I couldn't believe that Izumi was dead. Izumi, the person I dearly loved, the father to my unborn child, the person I vowed to spend the rest of my life with . . . I broke the embrace and opened the letter with shaky hands. There was only a little amount of hope left in me and I was willing to clutch to that last shred of hope. Maybe this letter was from Izumi, not a letter informing his death . . .

"Sit down," Shiki said, preventing me from opening the letter. He guided me to our usual bench and practically forced me to sit down. I was numb and weak, I had no power to contradict him. Once I was safely seated, I torn open the envelope and took out the letter.

"No! This can't be! T-The letter . . . H-He's still here, I'm sure he's alive. This is impossible," I sobbed. My tiny shred of hope was crushed into pieces, I was hopeless now. The truth was out now, he was dead and he would never come back home to me. There's always a time when you just didn't want to know the truth, because you could still hope and move on, clutching to whatever hope was left in you. This was cruel; the letter robbed all hopes out of me. I was helpless; I was losing the reason of my waking up every day.

-o-o-o-

"Why did you start without me, Mom?!" Mikan shrieks, shoving Natsume out of her way to sit on her previous spot.

"I'll never get to finish the story if you two won't be quiet," I scold them. Mikan immediately sits down and looks innocently at me with those pair of brown eyes. I chuckle, knowing that it was the look that could always get her out of trouble when she was younger.

"So, you and Dad got together after that?" she asks.

I shake my head. "Not really. We were closer then, but I never saw him as anything more than a brother figure. He helped me a lot through my pregnancy, he took care of me and made sure that I was alright . . ."

-o-o-o

Shiki was a very good guy and he was everything a girl could ask for. He was good looking, patient, well-endowed, and very kind. At first glance, he looked dangerous and scary, but once you got to know him, he was very different. He took care of me during my pregnancy, he was there with me.

When Mikan was finally born, he helped me on taking care of her. He even helped me with my money issue, since I couldn't really work when I was pregnant. Slowly, he made his way into my heart, until finally, I could love him as much as I loved Izumi.

But I didn't know if he loved me the same way as I loved him. Even worse, I felt like I was betraying Izumi. It had only been a year and I was already thinking of another man. It made me feel dirty, but I couldn't help it.

"Yuka?" he asked softly.

I turned around and smiled at him. "Yes?"

"Mikan is asleep. You should get some sleep too. You look tired," he said, walking towards me. He caressed my cheek with his fingers and kissed the top of my head, making me blush.

"I . . . can't," I said sadly. He sat beside me, not asking anything, but his gaze demanded an explanation. "I . . . I'm thinking of Izumi," I whispered.

He let out a heavy sigh. "He would want you to be happy, you know."

"I feel like I'm betraying him," I admitted.

He looked taken aback. "Why do you say so?"

"I . . . It has only been a year, Shiki. Yet I'm moving on, I . . . I love you, I know that you know that already. But I can't feel that way, I—"

He silenced me by kissing my lips, taking me by surprise. I gasped at the contact, how it felt to have his lips against mine. It was a very sweet kiss, filled with passion and love. I gasped when he broke the kiss.

"W-why?" I asked, breathless from the amazing kiss we had just shared. He clenched his fist and looked the other way. "Shiki . . ." I said.

"I love you, Yuka. I can't hold it anymore. I don't expect you to forget about Izumi, I know you love him very much and I don't mind sharing your love with him. All I need is the assurance that you love me back." He paused. "You're not betraying him, you're just trying to be happy."

-o-o-o-

Someone coughs, alerting us of his presence. I look at the doorframe and find my husband, Shiki, looking at us curiously. He smiles lovingly at me and I smile back at him.

"Mom! Continue, pretty please?" Mikan begs.

"You know the rest of the story, honey." I laugh.

"But Natsume doesn't!" she counters.

"I don't want to know," Natsume says flatly. Mikan glares at him and kicks his shin, causing him to cringe a little.

"You _do_ want to know! Admit it, lover boy," she teases him.

"Shut up, polka dots," he growls.

I stand up and walk towards Shiki, who is still standing by the doorframe. I kiss his cheek and rest my head on his shoulder, feeling content that he's near me. He strokes my hair with his fingers, his gaze fixed on the bickering couple.

"He makes her happy," I say softly. Shiki originally didn't approve of Natsume, he used to believe that Natsume was a bad influence to his little girl. But he needs to know that Natsume and Mikan are perfect for each other.

"I know," he murmurs. He has already approved of Natsume, but it's still hard for him to let go of his little girl. Even though Mikan isn't his biological daughter, he never thinks less of her. He's a very great father and I couldn't ask for a better man to be Mikan's father.

I look at the photo album that is currently lying on the table and smile contentedly.

_Izumi, I don't forget you. Up until now, I still love you. And you see, our daughter is getting married in a week. She has a very great father and I have a very great husband too. He never asks me to forget about you. In fact, he encourages me to think of you constantly, as you were—and still are—a big part of my life._

"I love you," I say to my husband, gazing intently at him.

He smiles and bends down to kiss my forehead. "I love you too. Forever."

**The End**

**Author's Note:** I know, there should be tons of mistakes there. I never beta read my own work; too lazy for that. That's why I need a beta reader for my other stories. Please contact me if you're interested? Thanks. ;)

About this story... Well, I found it when I was going through my stories in my laptop, and it was close to the end, so I finished it. (explains why the end is so rushed, huh?) I don't like to wait, sadly. And if I don't post it now, I know it'll end up dusty, if that makes sense. ;) Well, I'm totally a YukaxShiki fan all the way!


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